How to Plant Norway Spruce

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How to Plant Norway Spruce

Overview

The Norway spruce is an amenable and attractive evergreen. Although it prefers the cooler climates of growing zones 2 through 7, the Norway spruce is very flexible about its growing conditions. It can be planted in full sun or partial shade, tolerates wet and fairly dry climates and nearly any type of soil. The only real demand that the Norway spruce makes is soil acidity. To thrive, a Norway spruce needs soil with a pH that falls between 5 and 7. But, although its growth may be stunted, it can cope with soil pH as high as 9.

Step 1

Keep your Norway spruce's roots moist while it is in its container.

Step 2

Dig a hole that is twice as wide and twice as deep as the container that your Norway spruce is currently in.

Step 3

Separate half of the excavated soil and mix it with an equal amount of aged compost.

Step 4

Carefully remove the Norway spruce from its current container. Gently loosen its roots by pulling them away from the root ball with your hand.

Step 5

Plant the tree. Back fill about half of the soil mixture into the hole. Nestle the sapling's roots into the soil so that none of them are bent. The top of the sapling's root ball should be 1 to 2 inches higher than the surrounding soil. If not, lift the sapling out and back fill more of the soil. Once the tree is at the right height, fill the hole with the soil mixture and cover the root ball so that about 1 inch of the trunk is covered with soil. Pat the soil down with your hands when you are done to remove any air pockets.

Step 6

Water the spruce sapling by slowly running a hose over the planting area until the soil below the root ball is moist. Continue to keep the soil moist until the spruce establishes itself and begins to produce new growth.

Step 7

Spread a 3-inch layer of organic mulch around the planting area but at least 4 inches away from the trunk of your sapling.

Things You'll Need

Shovel

Aged compost

Organic mulch

References

Tree Help: Norway Spruce

Boreal Forest: Norway Spruce

Fast Growing Trees: Norway Spruce

Keywords:
Norway, spruce, plant

About this Author

Emma Gin is a freelance writer who specializes in green, healthy and smart living. She is currently working on developing a weight-loss website that focuses on community and re-education. Gin is also working on a collection of short stories, because she knows what they say about idle hands.